Portable inflated waterway for toy boats



p 13, 1966 K. M. HINES 3,271,896

PORTABLE INFLATED WATERWAY FOR TOY BOATS Filed Sept. 4, 1964 Kennel/2 M Hines 4, m M "a W United States Patent 3,271,896 PORTABLE INFLATED WATERWAY FOR TOY BOATS Kenneth M. Hines, 3420 N. 12th Ave., Evansville, Ind. Filed Sept. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 394,415 3 Claims. (CI. 46-87) This invention generally relates to aquatic toys for use especially in conjunction with toy boats, particularly although not necessarily, those which are powered, and has for its primary object to provide a novel waterway whereby children may play with such boats either indoors or outdoors in comfort and safety.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a toy waterway of the character described which is readily collapsible to facilitate transportation and storage when the device is not in use.

Still anlother important object of the invention is to provide a portable, collapsible toy waterway of the aforementioned character which, if desired, may be used on the surface of water as well as on any suitable solid surface.

Other objects are to provide a waterway for toy boats which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing a toy waterway embodying the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device; and

FIGURE 3 is a view in transverse section on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a pair of endless, substantially oval, uniformly spaced inner and outer tubes 4 and 6, respectively, of suitable material and dimensions. The tubes 4 and 6 may be inflated from any suitable source. Toward this end, the tubes 4 and 6 are provided with in- :flating valves 8. Tethered caps 10 are provided for the valves 8.

A flexible trough 12 of suitable waterproof material is mounted between the inner and outer tubes 4 and 6. The marginal portions 14 of the endless flexible trough 12 are secured as by welding to the opposed walls of the tubes 4 and 6.

It is thought that the use of the toy will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the spaced, inflated inner and outer tubes 4 and 6, respectively, are positioned on a suitable supporting surface as indicated at 16. The flexible trough 12 is then filled with water as indicated at 18. The Water 18 may be of any suitable depth. In this connection it will be noted that, as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the level of the water 18 may rise above the trough 12 between the tubes 4 and 6, said trough being sealed to said tubes at 14. It also will be noted that the construction and ar- "ice rangement is such that the bottom portion of the flexible trough 12 may rest on the supporting surface 16 which thus carries most of the weight of the water 18 in said trough. The construction and arrangement also is such that, if desired, the device may be readily shifted while filled with water. To transport or store the device the trough 12 is, of course, emptied and the tubes 4 and 6 are deflated. As will be apparent, the device may then be compactly folded or rolled in a manner to require a minim-um space. In FIGURE 1 of the drawing reference numeral 20 designates a toy boat in the waterway. Of course, the device will readily accommodate a plurality of such boats. The boat 20 which has been shown is powered by a spring motor. However, the toy boats are not necessarily powered. The waterway, as will be apparent, functions as a guide for causing the boat to travel in an oval path and the device may be of any desired size or dimensions. Further, the device may be attractively colored and suitably ornamented if desired. Inflation of the tubes 4 and 6 erects and sustains the device in a well known manner. It also will be apparent that by inflating the tubes 4 and 6 to different pressures thereby increasing or decreasing the diameter of said tubes, the width and the depth of the flexible trough 12 may be varied.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable, collapsible toy waterway for toy boats comprising a pair of spaced, endless, substantially oval, inflated and collapsible inner and outer tubes for mounting on a supporting surface, and endless, flexible and collapsible trough means for the reception of water mounted between said tubes and adapted to rest on the supporting surface, said trough means having its marginal portions ailixed to the opposed walls of the tubes at points in vertically spaced relation to and substantially above the supporting surface so as to form a pocket for the reception of water.

2. A portable, collapsible toy waterway for toy boats including a pair of spaced, endless, inflatable and collapsible inner and outer tubes for mounting on a supporting surface, an endless, flexible and collapsible trough means for the reception of water positioned between said tubes, said trough means having the opposed marginal edge portions thereof affixed to the walls of the tubes at points vertically spaced above the supporting surface, said trough means between the opposed walls of the tubes being positioned below the aflixed marginal portions thereof so as to rest on the supporting surface and form a pocket for the reception of water.

3. A portable collapsible toy waterway for toy boats including a pair of spaced endless inflatable and collapsible inner and outer tubes for mounting on a supporting surface, an endless flexible and collapsible trough means for the reception of water positioned between said tubes, said trough means having the opposed full length marginal edge portions thereof fixed to the Walls of the 3 4 pair of tubes at points vent-ically spaced from the support 3,163,419 12/1964 Lemelson 46-87 X ing surface, the central portion of said trough means 3,180,639 55 (joker et 272*1 between the tubes being positioned substantially below 3,190,657 6/1965 Johnson 46-90 X the edge portions of said trough means so as to rest on the supporting surface and form a pocket for the 5 FORE GN PAT S reception of water between said inner and outer endless tubes. 528,446 5/ 1954 Belgium.

625,129 6/ 1949 Great Britain. References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 RIC-HARD C. PLNKHAM, Primary Exaiminer.

2,551,055 5/ 1951 Seharkopf 46--91 X L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner. 2,968,120 1/1961 Reed 46-91 

2. A PORTABLE, COLLAPSIBLE TOY WATERWAY FOR TOY BOATS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED, ENDLESS, INFLATABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE INNER AND OUTER TUBES FOR MOUNTING ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, AN ENDLESS, FLEXIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLE TROUGH MEANS FOR THE RECEPTION OF WATER POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID TUBES, SAID TROUGH MEANS HAVING THE OPPOSED MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS THEREOF AFFIXED TO THE WALLS OF THE TUBES AT POINTS VERTICALLY SPACED ABOVE THE SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID TROUGH MEANS BETWEEN THE OPPOSED WALLS OF THE TUBES BEING POSITIONED BELOW THE AFFIXED MARGINAL PORTIONS THEREOF SO AS TO REST ON THE SUPPORTING SURFACE AND FORM A POCKET FOR THE RECEPTION OF WATER. 